Thursday, July 31, 2008

Of late, I started to appreciate books on Malaysia. Recently, I bought a gem of a book about Malaysia. What influenced the purchase was its contents. The book covers the history of Malaysia (then Malaya), the events, the people, the places, and everything else that time has forgotten. It is an insightful book, one to be treasured. This book is on Malaysia Past.

Among the books on Malaysia that I have is one commissioned by the government some years back, specially put together by a foreign company in collaboration with companies (MNCs included) featured in the book. This book was published in conjunction with Malaysia's Vision 2020, not sold in bookstores but issued based on sponsorships. This book is Malaysia Future.

I have a book on Malaysia Past and one on Malaysia Future. What I need now is a book on Malaysia Present.

There is currently a book, 50+1 Malaysia, that is hot from the press, just as we speak, and should be in the bookstores in a day or two.

This must-have locally-produced publication for all Malaysians and visitors alike, is the brainchild of QuaChee. If you recall, QuaChee is the mastermind of Batik Inspirations which I did a mini-reivew of.

For RM51/-, this 50+1 Malaysia book is a steal. But even better, this book can be yours for only RM35/- if you buy it online. However, there is still a better offer.

If you want it for free, QuaChee is generously giving away 100 books to deserving bloggers. All you have to do to win a copy is to blog about what you like about Malaysia, be it food, places, people, whatever. Below is how the 50+1 Malaysia book look like. Interested enough to win a copy?

Now, what do I like about Malaysia? What warms me up when I think of this land I call home? Without a doubt, I like the freedom. Within the law and politics aside, I can do practically anything, go anywhere, eat whatever I like, wherever I like, at any time I like. The world is your oyster! Is that what they say?

I can't wait to get a hold of this 50+1 Malaysia book. I know I will have to buy it if I don't win a copy and I know too, it will have a special place among my other treasures because 50+1 Malaysia, this Malaysia Present, will complete my collection of Malaysia Trilogy - Malaysia Past, Malaysia Present, Malaysia Future.

MBL's post about the peacock taking a slow stroll through the hotel premise reminded me of the pictures I received of a white or albino peacock. These white peacocks are rare as compared to the common colourful ones.

Let's learn a little bit about these colourful birds, shall we? The common peafowl or blue peafowl that we are familiar with is of the Indian Peafowl variety and which has been introduced into many other regions. Peafowl feed on seeds, insects, fruits, small mammals and reptiles. The peacock is the national bird of India.

Females are about 86 cm (34 in) long and weigh about 3.4 kg (7.4 lbs), while males average at about 2.12 m (7.3 ft) in full breeding plumage and weigh about 5 kg (11 lbs).

In breeding season, the peacock stands out with its iridescent blue-green plumage with an eye at the end of each feather. The female plumage, by contrast, is a mixture of dull green, grey and iridescent blue, with the greenish-grey predominating. In the non-breeding season they can be distinguished from males by the green colour of the neck as opposed to the blue on the males. Below is a picture of a peacock in full regalia.

The male's extravagant courtship display of feathers, called the train, plays a part in the breeding season. A peahen chooses her sexual partner based on the peacock's plumage. It is believed that if you ever see a peacock with its train all spread out, it will bring you luck.

A peahen lays a clutch of 4-8 eggs which take 28 days to hatch. The eggs are light brown and are laid every other day usually in the afternoon. The male does not assist with the rearing, and is polygamous with up to six hens.

Nature always pulls a surprise. Here is a picture of a white peacock. Beautiful, don't you think?

A close-up

By the way, if you believe in Fengshui, you may want to keep six stalks of a peacock's feathers in your vehicle to protect you from accidents.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Do you want to improve your portrait photography? I know I do. Problogger has picked up 19 tutorials from his archives and shared them with his readers. We will be able to learn lessons on the following:

- 10 Tips to Take Stunning Portraits- Give Your Subject Space to Look Into- How to Photograph People When Traveling- Asking Permission to Photograph People- How to Take Environmental Portraits- What the Mona Lisa Can Teach You about Portraits- Posing Tips - Shoulders- Posing - Waistlines, Thighs and Bustlines- Where is Your Subject Looking & Why it Matters- What Clothes to Wear in Portraits

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Received this email titled, "You can't win with women..Guess So...". And it says to "SEND THIS TO SMART WOMEN WHO NEED A LAUGH AND TO MEN YOU THINK CAN HANDLE IT!"

I know you are a woman, you are smart and probably need a laugh today, and

You..I know you are a man and man enough, I know you can handle this.

No, I am not sexist. I am just wicked - at times! LOL!

WIFE VS. HUSBANDA couple drove down a country road for several miles, not saying a word. An earlier discussion had led to an argument and neither of them wanted to concede their position. As they passed a barnyard of mules, goats, and pigs, the husband asked sarcastically, "Relatives of yours?" "Yep," the wife replied, "in-laws."

W O R D S A husband read an article to his wife about how many words women use a day... 30,000 to a man's 15,000. The wife replied, "The reason has to be because we have to repeat everything to men... The husband then turned to his wife and asked, "What?"

CREATIONA man said to his wife one day, "I don't know how you can be so stupid and so beautiful all at the same time." The wife responded, "Allow me to explain. God made me beautiful so you would be attracted to me;God made me stupid so I would be attracted to you!"

The Silent TreatmentA man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment. Suddenly, the man realized that the next day, he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper, "Please wake me at 5:00 AM." He left it where he knew she would find it. The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00 AM and he had missed his flight. Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn't wakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed. The paper said, "It is 5:00 AM. Wake up." Men are not equipped for these kinds of contests.

God may have created man before woman, but there is always a rough draft before the masterpiece.

SEND THIS TO SMART WOMEN WHO NEED A LAUGH AND TO MEN YOU THINK CAN HANDLE IT !

Monday, July 28, 2008

LOL! The title makes me laugh. No, not because it's funny but because you receive this kind of articles all the time, all year round, which makes you wonder whether it's truly Friendship Week again.

I have no qualms about receiving positive articles or stories and this one sure is positive. I believe all of us are here for a reason, who we meet, for how long, etc. This is a touching story - with a lesson. The message says I'm supposed to send this to 10 people, so I hope this post reaches that number - and beyond. You too can accomplish that by sharing it with friends and family. It also says that if it comes back to you, it means that you have a circle of friends. That I know I have because this is the umpteenth time I have received this email. Strangely, it still moves me each time I read it.

Let's begin, shall we?

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books.

I thought to myself, 'Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd.'

I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on. As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him.

They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.

My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye.

As I handed him his glasses, I said, 'Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives.'

He looked at me and said, 'Hey thanks!'

There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.

I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.

We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends. He said yes.

We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.

Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.

I stopped him and said, 'Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday! He just laughed and handed me half the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem.

He was going to be a doctor and I was going for business on a football scholarship..

Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd.

He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak

Graduation day, I saw Kyle.

He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.

Boy, sometimes I was jealous! Today was one of those days.

I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, 'Hey, big guy, you'll be great!'

He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled.

'Thanks,' he said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began

'Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

We all know that prescription glasses don't come cheap, unlike those reading glasses where you can pick up a pair from a roadside stall for just a few dollars or ringgit.

Was surprised when I came to know that prescription glasses online can go as low as under $10. These are Zenni Optical $ 8 Rx Eyeglasses. They have a wide range of frames and categories with an equally diverse range of lenses including single vision lens, sunsensor (potochromic) lens, tinted sunglasses lens, bifocal lens and progressive lens. They are able to go that low on prices because they sell their own brand and sell them directly to customers cutting out the middleman and advertising costs.

Friday, July 25, 2008

The way we flip-flop in our choice of colours is very interesting. One colour may turn us off completely one day, but come the next day or week, month or year, we would love it like crazy. Perhaps age has something to do with it?

Along the line of colour choices, have you ever noticed the colour of your front door? If you have a choice, what colour would you paint it? Herein lies your personality.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Today is the 24th of the month and in exactly seven days from today, people will be queuing up at Baskin-Robbins ice-cream cafes in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, even Genting Highlands. I know, because my friends queue up for their Rum & Raisin flavour come 31st.

On 31st of each month, you get a 31% discount (for handpack/takeaway only) at Baskin-Robbins when you produce a coupon like the one below.

"31" is symbolic. Baskin-Robbins is known for its "31 flavors". Their founders, Burt Baskins and Irv Robbins, believed that people should be able to sample flavors until they found one they wanted to buy ― hence the iconic small pink spoon.(Wikipedia)

So if you enjoy Baskin-Robbins ice-cream, the next time you visit a Baskin-Robbins cafe, be sure to ask them for a 31% BR coupon. In the meantime, below are their current promotions. Just print them out (black & white accepted) and bring them to Baskin-Robbins for your favourite flavour. Offer valid until 15 September.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Thought I'd share a sweet story for weekend reading. Of course, you can make your own conclusions after that. Have a lovely Sunday, my friends.

A husband wakes up at home with a huge hangover. He forces himself to open his eyes, and the first thing he sees is a couple of aspirins and a glass of water on the side table. He sits down and sees his clothing in front of him, all clean and pressed. He looks around the room and sees that it is in perfect order, spotless, clean. So is the rest of the house. He takes the aspirins and notices a note on the table. "Honey, breakfast is on the table, I left early to go grocery shopping. Love You!"

Totally shocked with the note, he goes to the kitchen and sure enough there is a hot breakfast and the morning newspaper. His son is also at the table, eating. He asks, "Son, what happened last night?" His son says, "Well, you came home around 3 AM, drunk and delirious. Broke some crockery, puked in the hall, and gave yourself a black eye when you stumbled into the door". Confused, the man asks, "So, why is everything in order and so clean, and breakfast is on the table waiting for me? I should expect a big quarrel with her!" His son replies, "Oh, that! Mom dragged you to the bedroom, and when she tried to take your clothes and shoes off, you said,

Thursday, July 17, 2008

A year ago, I posted an entry about the possibility of cooking eggs with cellphones. It was claimed an urban legend but now, I am not so sure because a friend tried it out and managed to cook (half-boil) his egg (oops!) after having the phones on for 15 minutes. So, it is true afterall.

Along the same vein, apparently, other food items can be cooked too.

Received an email of two videos showing how to make popcorn with cellphones. I have borrowed and put together four images from one of the videos. MacGyver would be happy. I think you can check them out on YouTube.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

In the meantime, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who has agreed to turn up at 2pm today to give his statement to the police, faces possible arrest if he fails to keep his word again. It is learnt that the police have obtained a warrant for his arrest following his failure to present himself to city police investigators on Monday...The Star.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

If you are home-bound tonight, you may want to turn on to TV9, Astro Awani or Bernama TV for a live telecast of the fuel price debate between the Information Minister, Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Ahmad Shabery said the debate had to be aired live so that the public would not have the perception that it was being doctored before going on air.

“The debate is to have a clear picture of the government's decisions and policies as well as to correct public perception on the matter,” he said.

There are a few times in life when you have a chance to be a part of something historic. For Malaysians, March 8th, 2008 was one of those days...when we went to the polls and our voices resonate with the call for democracy, good governance and the rule of law.

July 15th is another historic day. At 9:00 PM, for the first time ever, there will be a live, televised debate during which Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will explain his vision for the nation and how he plans to reignite the economy which has lagged under the Barisan Nasional government.

The debate, entitled "Form the government today, reduce fuel prices tomorrow", is an opportunity for the people of Malaysia to get involved in the conversation about the future of the country. The dramatic increase in the price of fuel which was enacted by the Barisan Nasional government on June 6th has caused hardship for many families and raised doubts about how well the government is managing the economy. The government's policies seem haphazard and inconsistent. Billions are lost to corruption and inefficiency and the people are told that they must pay. It's no surprise that a recent survey showed 85% of people hope that the Pakatan Rakyat comes to power soon.

The government will argue that an increase in the price of petroleum was inevitable and that the Malaysian people have to adjust their lifestyles and accept. Datuk Seri Anwar will explain that as an oil exporting nation, Malaysia can do a better job taking care of its people and that the government must implement better policies to alleviate hardships of the poor and marginalised and stimulate growth and increase income.

We hope you will watch the debate. Call your family members. Call you friends. Meet up at a local cafe or restaurant and watch the debate together. It is a rare chance that you will have to hear both sides of the story at the same time.

The debate will be broadcast live at 9:00 PM on Tuesday, July 15th 2008.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Mocking Bird's query of the monorail to Parliament House in the previous post on Massive Jams triggered this post. Below is the layout of the various public transportation routes and how they link to each other (or not in some cases). I wonder why I did not put this up sooner when I have been having it all along. hmm...

In Kuala Lumpur, getting around using public transportation is pretty easy. Besides the taxis and buses plying the city and the suburbs and vice versa, there are four other types of public transportation. There is the KTM Komuter (basically, the train), two LRT (Light Rail Transit) lines, LRT 1, (STAR) and LRT2 (PUTRA), and the Monorail that plies within the city center.

Below is the layout (click to enlarge image) whose routes are color-coded for easy reference. Bring a copy of it along if you intend to visit Kuala Lumpur. It will come in handy.

Mocking Bird, as you can see, Parliament House is not accessible via any of these. You can only get their by cab but it is just a short distance from the city center.

If you have been caught in a massive traffic jam downtown Kuala Lumpur, know that you have been a victim of the roadblocks occurring at 12 entry points into the city. Now you know.

All eyes are on the outcome of an emergency motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his Cabinet today.

Filed as a non-voting motion under Standing Orders 18 (1) and (2), by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail last Thursday, the motion is meant to discuss the performance of the Barisan Nasional Government rather than to elicit a vote.

Traffic conditions were horrible this morning caused by Police roadblocks leading into the city with roadblocks at 12 entry points into the city.

Police said they were staving off an illegal gathering that Pakatan Rakyat was planning at Parliament or its grounds this morning, in anticipation of a motion of no-confidence being filed against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his Cabinet.

The police obtained a court order barring Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, his supporters and the public from holding any rally or participating in it within a 5km radius of the Parliament building.

Pakatan Rakyat leaders have denied they were planning any such gathering.

The roadblocks are expected to continue until midnight on Monday or until further notice.

Police roadblocks leading into the city caused massive jams throughout this morning, Monday

Saturday, July 12, 2008

I was helping a friend look up information on Turkey and thought might as well have a map of the world here, in case anyone is looking for one and not aware that Google has it. Happy globe-trotting. And oh, I am having a link on the sidebar for easy reference.

If you are an Apple fan, specifically if you have your vision, mission and thoughts all synchronized to that everybody's-talking-about Apple 3G iPhone, you might be interested to know that the first unit of the 3G iPhone was sold in Auckland, New Zealand.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

The title says, "Why men don't write advice columns". You will know why in a minute. Read on...

Dear Walter: I hope you can help me here. The other day I set off for work leaving my husband in the house watching the TV as usual. I hadn't gone more than a mile down the road when my engine conked out and the car shuddered to a halt. I walked back home to get my husband's help. When I got home I couldn't believe my eyes. He was in the bedroom with a neighbour lady making mad passionate love to her. I am 32, my husband is 34 and we have been married for twelve years. When I confronted him, he broke down and admitted that he'd been having an affair for the past six months.

I told him to stop or I would leave him. He was let go from his job six months ago and he says he has been feeling increasingly depressed and worthless. I love him very much, but ever since I gave him the ultimatum he has become increasingly distant. I don't feel I can get through to him anymore.

Can you please help?

Sincerely, Mrs. Sheila Usk -----------------------------------------

Dear Sheila:

A car stalling after being driven a short distance can be caused by a variety of faults with the engine. Start by checking that there is no debris in the fuel line. If it is clear, check the jubilee clips holding the vacuum pipes onto the inlet manifold. If none of these approaches solves the problem, it could be that the fuel pump itself is faulty, causing low delivery pressure to the carburetor float chamber.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Starting to spend more time on Twitter and in addition to stalking the ever-affable LB, am now following some "influential" personalities, such as founders of Internet programs/ventures, an author, a magazine editor, other wizards, and a couple of showbiz celebs, MC Hammer and Snoop Dogg. And Barack Obama. Oh yes, he twitters too. If you'd like to follow me or find out who I'm following (openly stalking sort of), you can look me up, klhappysurfer.

I was thinking, instead of just twittering about my little world, why not extend the horizon a little and see what others are doing. Indeed people are doing greater stuff out there and a lot more interesting too. Am learning.

Got pointed to this site on weird jewellery. Interesting pieces of weird jewellery.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Exactly one month from today, the world would be focussing on Beijing, China, the venue of the Beijing Olympics 2008. The opening ceremony will be held at the new National Stadium dubbed the Bird's Nest for its design of a bird's nest. In the meantime, the city must almost be ready with its beautification efforts such as sprucing up its gardens as indicated in the following pictures.

Anyone planning to visit China from now until year-end would have to go through stringent measures in getting a visa.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Listen up if you are a fan of Kentucky Fried Chicken. After you have read this, you will not want to touch KFC again!

A concerned friend sent me an email.

A Horrible Fact about KFC KFC has been a part of our American traditions for many years. Many people, day in and day out, eat at KFC religiously. Do they really know what they are eating? During a recent study of KFC done at the University of New Hampshire, they found some very upsetting facts. First of all, has anybody noticed that just recently, the company has changed their name?

Kentucky Fried Chicken has become KFC. Does anybody know why? We thought the real reason was because of the 'FRIED' food issue.

IT'S NOT! !

The reason why they call it KFC is because they can not use the word chicken anymore. Why? KFC does not use real chickens. They actually use genetically manipulated organisms. These so called 'chickens' are kept alive by tubes inserted into their bodies to pump blood and nutrients throughout their structure. They have no beaks, no feathers, and no feet. Their bone structure is dramatically shrunk to get more meat out of them. This is great for KFC.

Because they do not have to pay so much for their production costs. There is no more plucking of the feathers or the removal of the beaks and feet. The government has told them to change all of their menus so they do not say chicken anywhere. If you look closely you will notice this. Listen to their commercials, I guarantee you will not see or hear the word chicken. I find this matter to be very disturbing.

I hope people will start to realize this and let other people know. Please forward this message to as many people as you can. Together we make KFC start using real chicken again.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What do you think? Are you turned off KFC now?

I was horrified too the first time I read it. Okay, relax! The truth of the matter is, this is a false claim. In fact, this has been circulating for many years now. If I knew then what I know now, I would know where to go to check out this claim. These days, I go straight to Snopes.com whenever something bizarre like this comes up.

Kentucky Fried Chicken decided to change its name to KFC in 1991 for several reasons, none of which had anything to do with governmental regulations about mutant animals:

1. A move to de-emphasize "chicken" because KFC planned to offer a varied menu that included other types of food.

2. A desire to eliminate the word "fried" which has negative connotations to the increasingly health-conscious consumer market.

3. A recent trend towards the abbreviation of long commercial titles, as demonstrated by other companies employing shortened forms of their names.

So, now you know. The claim that KFC no longer use the word "chicken" to describe its product because it serves meat from genetically-engineered animals that the government will no longer permit to be referred to as "chickens" is totally FALSE.

If KFC is not serving chicken they wouldn't have the word 'chicken' in their site address, Kentuckyfriedchicken.com, would they?

Sunday, July 6, 2008

The other day, I saw a documentary on the top roller-coaster rides of the world. It was exhilarating to watch but going on them may be a different story, I am sure. To tell you the truth, I am not a roller-coaster person. Too chicken, I guess.

The one below can be found in Branson, Missouri. Besides the amusement parks and if you enjoy live shows, Branson is home to dozens of world-class attractions and is well-deserving of the moniker of "Live Music Capital of the World".

If you are planning a vacation to Branson, you can choose from their variety of vacation packages ranging from their 3D/2N Platinum Package for two which includes lodging, tickets to shows, gift cards, coupon book and discount certificates, to their Family Package for a 4D/3N stay for 2 adults and 2 kids plus tickets to shows. Alternatively, you can also design your own vacation package to suit your specific needs.

What can you do in Branson, you may ask. With 70 shows and attractions available you would wish that you could stay longer. Their shows include variety shows, acrobatics, concerts, music through the ages and more while their attractions include a number of interesting museums, rides and thrills, nature trails, water rides, go-karting, golf courses, caves and caverns, family entertainment centers, movie theaters and of course, shopping.

And while you are there, don't forget to visit Silver Dollar City. You will get to go back in time to the 1880’s, when the Ozark’s Hill People lived a simpler life. Silver Dollar City recreates the Ozark’s culture featuring near about 100 craftsmen doing everything from candle and candy making to glass blowing and blacksmithing. Something you shouldn't miss.

There is no shortage of new properties here in Kuala Lumpur. Everywhere you turn, you would come across a new apartment block or a new housing estate under construction.

In fact, there are so many new properties in every part of the city as well as in the outskirts, that you may be spoilt for choice. And to make it convenient for house-buyers, mortgage lenders are ever-ready and on hand at property launches to offer their services or rather their loan.

Friday, July 4, 2008

A friend who is a cancer-survivor is wary when it comes to taking medicine. As far as possible, she will refrain from taking medicine unless there is a real need. Because of her endurance, her threshold for pain and discomfort has been stretched.

Another friend, on the other hand, has tried all kinds of cream, washes and medicine for her acne condition. Visits to skin specialists did not help either. Things looked up for her when she decided to go natural and went for a natural acne treatment. Miraculously, her acne condition improved. Strange how it is sometimes that we have to go in circles to come back to where we started in the first place.

What do they say about a Friday's child? Nevermind. I know I have said this a million times - I love Fridays. Who doesn't when it's the last day of the workweek! Some days, I wish everyday is a Friday.

Opening the site, I saw this nice picture, actually a Google ad on the sidebar (not that I am hinting that you click on it or something, though I don't mind). What I am trying to say is, it is such a pretty picture, colourwise and contentwise. Ahem!! True eye-candy - pleasant and refreshing, one that makes you go, Awwwww......... I would like for it to be a permanent feature here instead of it being an ad that only sneaks in and out at random. Here it is.

What do you think? Nice?

This being Friday, it is Frolics day again. This week, let's find out the type of soda we are. Root beer is my favourite and OMGoodness, I think it has somehow permeated my personality too. LOL!

You Are Root Beer

Ultra sweet and innocent, you have a subtle complexity behind your sugary front.

Children love you, but so do high end snobs... when you're brewed right.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

I heard over the radio a few days ago that Pakistan is the latest country to increase the price of gas from between 30 to 66% Malaysia had a 40% increase on June 5. Has this impacted our life in general? You bet. The price of almost everything has gone up and if not, the portion has been reduced.

Air travel has not been spared. Air tickets have soared inflated by the increased fuel surcharge. The good news is, people are still travelling, going on holiday, albeit at a higher cost. Which reminds me, someone asked if I could help her look up some travel guides for Holland, the land of windmills and tulips.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Some of us are already using an iPhone though the phone is not widely available yet. A colleague who has just sent in an order for the latest 3G iPhone is anxiously awaiting its arrival.

Come July 11, Apple's 3G iPhone will be made available to a lot more countries including Japan and Singapore. Malaysia is not included. What does it mean for Malaysian residents who intend to buy an iPhone? I have yet to find out from my colleague as to how he is going to get the phone working when he gets it. Frankly, I have yet to come across anyone here using a Malaysian-registered iPhone. If you are using one, perhaps you could share your experience here.

What is an iPhone really? Basically, it's a Phone, an iPod, and it's got Internet.

What is a 3G iPhone then? It has all the features of a regular iPhone and more. The Apple site says the enhanced 3G iPhone comes with fast 3G wireless technology, GPS mapping, support for enterprise features like Microsoft Exchange, and the new App Store - more features at your fingertips. And like the original iPhone, it combines three products in one — a revolutionary phone, a widescreen iPod, and a breakthrough Internet device with rich HTML email and a desktop-class web browser. The 3G iPhone is indeed the talk of the town that every gadget-savvy person would want to own one. It is important to note that it is an iPod, a web-browser (albeit with significantly enhanced speed), with Google Maps, YouTube, calendaring, photos and a host of other features. However, those of you who are thinking 3G phone capability may be sorely disappointed as 3G here does not mean that. There is no 3G video call capability.

If you are contemplating acquiring this state-of-the-art 3G iPhone, here are some sites that may give you a better idea of its pros and cons. At the price you are paying, it is worth checking these sites out.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Laughter is the best medicine and we do get a lot of that (best medicine) from jokes on seniors. Of course, no offence to anyone. Below is one more and if you want another, go over to Mick's Page for another dose after that.

Elderly John was invited to Mark's home (his old friend) for dinner one evening.

John was impressed by the way his buddy preceded every request to his wife with endearing terms such as Honey, My Love, Darling, Sweetheart, Cookie, Pumpkin, etc.

The couple had been married almost 65 years and, clearly, they were still very much in love.

While Mark's wife was in the kitchen, John leaned over to Mark and said, 'I think it's wonderful that, after all these years, you still call your wife those loving pet names.'

Old Mark hung his head. 'John, I have to tell you the truth,' he said, 'Her name slipped my mind about 10 years ago and I'm scared to death to ask her what it is!'

It's one thing to see blue skies and sunlight streaming in through your office windows or office glass walls everyday but certainly something else to be seeing clouds from your office day in day out - you see nothing below, no streets, no people, no traffic. It may look awesome initially but once the novelty wears off, having this view on a daily basis could be rather boring and unreal (maybe surreal), don't you think?

Here is how the view would be from the world's tallest building, the Burj Dubai. At 2,620 ft or 801m tall, it will be the tallest building for a very, very long time.

The picture below is interesting too. The email says that if you look at the edge (uppermost right corner) of the picture, you can almost see the turn of the earth. Is it possible, I wonder. Still, it is an amazing view, almost like seeing it from space.